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The article you cite used a system that is most definitely not a Basic Income, and not Universal, to make its point against a Basic Income. You want a way in w

The article you cite used a system that is most definitely not a Basic Income, and not Universal, to make its point against a Basic Income. You want a way in which the Universal Basic Income would be superior to a Job Guarantee? Administration. With a job guarantee, you will need a massive administration. While I agree wholeheartedly that meaningful work supports dignity. Creating jobs and Universal Basic Income are not opposed to each other.

crdoconnor 11y ago
What exactly was wrong with FDR's public works adminisration and works progress administration? They built a ton of stuff we still use today.
- dllthomas 11y ago
  I have no objection to hiring people to build useful stuff. That prospect differs from a "job guarantee" precisely where that stuff is not sufficiently useful. In the margin there, I object to paying people to take time and effort away from places they may find more value, to do things that are of minimal value, in the name of "dignity." In fact, I think paying for useless work is destructive of precisely that dignity (along with a pile of economic value).
  - crdoconnor 11y ago
    "That prospect differs from a "job guarantee" precisely where that stuff is not sufficiently useful. In the margin there, I object to paying people to take time and effort away from places they may find more value, to do things that are of minimal value, in the name of "dignity." In fact, I think paying for useless work is destructive of precisely that dignity (along with a pile of economic value)." So you are saying, in essence, that people's art projects, poetry and one person startups and time spent watching daytime TV are, on average, more useful than projects like the lincoln tunnel, schools, hospitals and bridges and you object to resources being taken from one to build the other?
    - dllthomas 11y ago
      That so mischaracterizes what I am saying that I don't believe you are interested in having a meaningful conversation. I'm done here.

crdoconnor 11y ago

What exactly was wrong with FDR's public works adminisration and works progress administration? They built a ton of stuff we still use today.

dllthomas 11y ago
I have no objection to hiring people to build useful stuff. That prospect differs from a "job guarantee" precisely where that stuff is not sufficiently useful. In the margin there, I object to paying people to take time and effort away from places they may find more value, to do things that are of minimal value, in the name of "dignity." In fact, I think paying for useless work is destructive of precisely that dignity (along with a pile of economic value).
- crdoconnor 11y ago
  "That prospect differs from a "job guarantee" precisely where that stuff is not sufficiently useful. In the margin there, I object to paying people to take time and effort away from places they may find more value, to do things that are of minimal value, in the name of "dignity." In fact, I think paying for useless work is destructive of precisely that dignity (along with a pile of economic value)." So you are saying, in essence, that people's art projects, poetry and one person startups and time spent watching daytime TV are, on average, more useful than projects like the lincoln tunnel, schools, hospitals and bridges and you object to resources being taken from one to build the other?
  - dllthomas 11y ago
    That so mischaracterizes what I am saying that I don't believe you are interested in having a meaningful conversation. I'm done here.